Adjustable safety latch



R. R. SCOTT ADJUSTABLE SAFETY LATCH April 15, 1952 2 slams- Smm 1 FiledNOV. 22, 1948 .Em Q

April l5, 1952 R. R. scoTT ADJUSTABLE SAFETY LATCH 2 Sl-iEETS--Sl-iEET 2Filed Nov. 22, 1948 Inventor Ray Scarf of this invention.

Patented pr. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,592,961 ADJUSTABLESAFETY LATCH Ray R. Scott, Muskogee, Okla., as'signor vof seventy-fiveper cent to Clarence E. Brockman, Lebanon, Mo.

Application 'Nvember z2, 194a`seria1N0. 61,446

f3 Claims. l

This invention relates generally to latching means and more particularlyto a safety latch for end gates andthe like.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a latch which can beadjusted to hold `an end gate or the like securely against a fixedstructure, while being easily releasable.

Another object of this invention, of a specific nature, is to provide alatch having a link of adjustable length carrying a lever having a camengageable with a Ydowel on the member to be latched, whereby thepressure of the latch inember against the iixe'd structure, when thelatch is in closed position, is variable according to the requirementsencountered in actual employment Another object of this invention,allied to the preceding object, is to provide latching means for endgates of automotive vehicles, which will prevent rattling of the endgates while the vehicles are in transit.

And a last object to be mentioned specifically is to provide a latchassembly which is relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture,which is safe, convenient and simple to use, and which will givegenerally efcient and durable service.

With these objects delinitely in view, this invention resides in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elementsand portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in thespecification, particularly `pointed out in the appended claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part ofthis application, and in whichz' Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rearend portion of a truck with an end gate with this invention operativelyapplied thereon;

Figure 2 is a rear end elevational view of the structure shown in Figure1, the view being taken from the rear end of the truck;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, taken fro the right hand side ofFigure l;

Figure 4 is another plan view, fragmentary in character, a portion ofthe clevis forming a part of the above mentioned link, being broken awayto show the above mentioned dowel in plan, and the lever being shown ina second position in dash lineas when the cam portion thereof isreleased from the dowel; and

Figure 5 is a view in perspective, of the adjustable link and lever.

Corresponding characters of reference designate identical elements andportions throughout the specification and throughout the diiferent viewsin the drawings.

Referring now rto the drawings in detail, this invention is adapted tobe used with an environment including such structure as Va body of anautomotive truck in which the vertical side walls I8 comprise abutmentvfor an end gate I2,'which for purposes of illustration, is'reiznresented in Figure 1' as being of the type which swings about 'ahorizontal axis.

A 'pair of U-bolts I4 are rigidly securedtothe vertical side members I8,and an eye bolt AIS is pivoted on each of these U-bolts I4. The eye boltIE is threaded for adjustable mounting in a ythreaded shank portion I8of aclevis 28, the arms of which are apertured to receive a pin 22. Thepin 22 is also inserted through one end of a lever 24 having arcam 26'adjacent this pivoted end for releasable engagement with a dowel 28.The dowel 28 is provided with attachment lugs 38 whereby the dowel issecured to the end gate I2, preferably on each side thereof inconstruction similar to that illustrated in Figure l, so as to beengageable with the clevis 28 and the corresponding lever 24 on eachside of the end gate. The dowels 28 may be further secured to the endgate by screws or bolts 32, and it will be obvious that the dowels mustextend beyond the ends of the end gate and laterally of the side wallsI8.

The other end of each lever 24 is apertured as indicated at 33 in Figure5. Means for locking v the said other end of the lever 24 in positionlatching the end gate will include a plate 34 rigidly securable to theend gate so that a pair of spaced apertured lugs 3S on this plate 34 mayreceive said other end of each lever 24 therebetween. The end plate willordinarily be vertically elongated and the lower end of the plate willhave another apertured lug 38. Each set of lugs 36 and 38 will have theapertures therein coaxial and a locking pin 48 will be slidably mountedtherein, this locking pin having an enlarged head 42 to be grasped byhand and depressed against the action of a helical spring 44 compressedbetween the lower of the lugs 36 and the corresponding lug 38. The pin48 will in each case be provided with a washer 45 held in place by atransverse smaller pin 46, illustrated in duplicate in Figure 2, thiswasher 45 engaging the upper end of the helical spring 44. It will beclear how the locking pins 48 may be depressed to allow the said otherends of the corresponding levers 24 to be entered between the lugs 36,whereafter the locking pins 48 are released and the correspondingsprings 44 will force the upper ends of the locking pins through theapertures in the corresponding levers 24 and lugs 36.

The operation of this invention will be clearly understood inconsideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical detailsthereof, taken in connection with the drawings and with the aboverecitation of the objects sought to be achieved by this invention. Inrecapitulation, it need only be added that the cam 2E is proportionedand positioned on each lever 24 so that the corresponding dowel 28 willbe forced toward the side members l0, thus holding the end gate I2 rmlyin place. It will also be clear how the entrance of the dowels 28through the clevis 20 prevents vertical movement of the central portionof the latching devices when in locked positions. Adjustment of thedevice is made by turning the clevis upon the eye bolt IE. Apparently,further description is unnecessary.

Obviously many minor variations from the embodiment illustrated may beresorted to without departure from the spirit of this invention and thescope of this invention should be determined only as limited by a properinterpretation of the terms used in the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A safety latch for end gates and the like including a dowelcomprising an inflexible rod having a attened apertured terminal andapertured lugs integral with and extending transversely of said dowelintermediate its ends for securement to the member to be latched, a linkhaving one end bifurcated to t over a portion of said dowel, attachmentmeans for the other end of said link, a lever pivoted to the bifurcatedend of said link and having a cam at the pivoted end engageable withsaid dowel when the lever is in one position, and means adapted to besecured to the member to be latched for releasably securing the otherend of the lever When the lever is in said position.

2. A latch according to claim 1 and wherein said link is adjustable asto length and comprises an eye bolt and a clevis threaded on the eyebolt, the diameter of the dowel being only slightly less than thespacing of the arms of said clevis so that the dowel and the clevisguide the lever into registration with said means for securing the otherend of the lever.

3. A latch according to claim 1 and wherein said last mentioned meanscomprises a plate having lugs on the side thereof adjacent said leverwhen said lever is in said position and having apertures, said other endof the lever also having an aperture, and a spring biased locking pinarranged coaxially with the apertures in said lugs.

RAY R. SCOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 366,143 Andrews et al. July 5,188'? 736,772 Petersen Aug. 18, 1903 1,245,409 Voss Nov. 6, 19172,324,356 Brown July 13, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date697,126 Germany Oct. 7, 1940

